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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

  1. He has no idea where the ________________ is.
  2. I've got to change the light ________________.
  3. The ________________ took off on time.
  4. Do not ________________ roses in the fall.
  5. The band played a military ________________ at the parade.
  6. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  7. I cannot ________________ this tree. It's too high.
  8. Is it ________________ for us to be here?
  9. The elephant has a huge ________________.
  10. The tree's ________________ was scarred by lightning strikes.
  11. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  12. We will have lived in Kyoto for eight years next ________________.
  13. Don't do anything ________________.
  14. His birthday is in either ________________ or April.
  15. I seem to be developing a ________________.
  16. The carpenter used a ________________ to smooth the door.
  17. In geometry, a flat surface is called a ________________.
  18. Plant the tulip ________________ before the first frost.
  19. I've got the luggage in my ________________.
  20. A ________________ is just a dried plum.
  21. The party suffered for the ________________ of party-switching.
  22. Tom was very happy that his son returned home ________________ and sound.
  23. I can't ________________ this cold.
  24. The light ________________ burned out.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. safe — a strongbox
  2. bulb — for light
  3. plane — an aircraft
  4. prune — to trim
  5. march — music
  6. stand — on your feet
  7. prune — to trim
  8. safe — out of danger
  9. trunk — of an elephant
  10. trunk — of a tree
  11. stand — for spectators
  12. march — the month
  13. rash — hasty
  14. march — the month
  15. rash — on the skin
  16. plane — a tool
  17. plane — in geometry
  18. bulb — of a plant
  19. trunk — of a car
  20. prune — the fruit
  21. rash — a series
  22. safe — out of danger
  23. stand — to bear
  24. bulb — for light

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com